1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the production and/or machining of panels, comprising a transport device for transporting a panel along a transport device. The transport device has a plurality of positioning devices, which are arranged one behind the other at a distance apart along the transport path and which respectively comprise: an upper and a lower abutment mechanism, which lie opposite one another at a distance apart on both sides of a panel plane, and an adjusting device, with which the distance between the abutment mechanism can be set.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Apparatuses of this type are known in the field of the production or machining of panels and generally comprise an upper and a lower revolving continuous belt, the transporting strands of which are guided in parallel at a distance apart. Between the transporting strands of the continuous belts, panels to be transported are received in frictional engagement and moved on in the transport direction. Along the transport path of the continuous belts, machining devices are usually arranged, which subject the lateral edges of the panels to a machine cutting operation. As machining devices, various types of milling tools in particular can be used here, which on a longitudinal side or a transverse side of the panel form a groove and on the opposite longitudinal side a corresponding tongue. Panels of this type can be joined together in known tongue and groove connection to form, for example, a floor surface of a room.
In order for the panels to be machined with constant quality, it is necessary to ensure a best possible relative positioning between the machining device and the panel to be machined. Thus, particularly where the machining device on the longitudinal side or transverse side of the panel is intended to mill a tongue or a groove, crucial importance is attached to the height position of the tongue or groove beneath the visible surface of the panels, in order to allow a total visible surface of the joined-together panels which is as even as possible. The known apparatuses of the type stated in the introduction therefore comprise said positioning devices having an upper and a lower abutment means and having the adjusting device for setting the distance between the abutment means. Depending on the number of machining devices and the length of the panels to be machined, a correspondingly large number of positioning devices along the transport device is necessary. In order to set the distance between the abutment means in accordance with a specific panel type, all positioning devices of the transport device must be individually adjusted. The traditional panel apparatuses which are used for different panel types with varying plate thickness in the range between about 6 and 12 mm, when the panel type to be machined is changed, thus require a big adjustment effort by the operator, combined with corresponding down times of the apparatus.